Dudley's Best Year
by Harry50
Summary: While in hiding during the war, Dudley finds friendship, love and tolerance. He becomes a different person by the time the war is over. [Dudley/OC]
1. Meeting

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor anything associated with it. All the rights belong to J.K. Rowling and her business associates. I only play in her world for my amusement, and hopefully yours as well.**

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 **1 Meeting**

Dudley was sitting in the library, or what he considered a library, in the safe house. He felt like he would die of boredom and wondered if a swift death, by either a bullet or a curse, couldn't be better.

It had all started some days earlier – he couldn't be bothered to count how many. Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle had been the ones who joined them in his father's car and directed them to a certain farm, where they left the car hidden inside a large barn, from where they used some key thingy to take them to this house. Mr. Diggle said it was his ancestral house and was well protected, yet they shouldn't go out any farther than the fence, which was only a few paces away from the house's walls. He then introduced Likky, the house elf who would take care of all their physical needs. Dudley could see the repulsion on his parents' faces. Well, Likky wasn't a beauty, not according to human standards, but she was very eager to please in any way she could. Dudley even thought she would agree to blow him, if only he asked her, not that he thought it was a good idea. Even he had some standards.

Once the witch and the wizard left them alone, his parents had retired into their room. He didn't know what they were doing there and didn't bother to ask. They only came down for meals. Dudley got his own room with an attached bathroom, but there was nothing he could do there except for sleeping. There was no electricity, no computer, no television or even radio, no electronic games, not even a music player.

After a day of total boredom, Likky had shown him this room. Half of it looked like a library, as far as he could judge. Dudley had not visited the public library, nor the one at his primary school. He had to search for some information in the library at Smelting, but had never enjoyed it. Still, there were quite a few books in the room and he thought there were almost as many as at the Smelting library.

The other half of the room contained several tables surrounded by chairs and two small sofas. He wasn't sure if this had been a kind of dining room or sitting room. At smelting, one could only check out the books and study them in one's own room.

He tried finding some interesting books. Although he had never liked reading, he knew some people found it entertaining, so it was worth a try. He browsed through several books, but found nothing of interest. Most books were dealing with various kinds of Magic. The few that were just stories had no action in them. They were mostly romances, of the kind his mother used to read at home, but much thicker.

Dudley watched the clouds through the window. Despite it being summer, the weather was cold and dreary and the clouds seemed ominous. His mind drifted, thinking of how things had changed so dramatically and how they would change in the future. He felt unprepared for all these changes.

He was brought out of his musings as he heard the front door opening. An unrecognized voice urged, "Quick! Come in! The least you stay outside, the safer it is."

Despite his initial fright, this sounded like some more people were being brought into the safe house. Maybe that would help him fight the boredom. He stood up and opened the door, trying to see the entrance hall.

Another family was being shown in. Two parents, about the same age as his, a girl who seemed close to his age and another one who seemed older. The voice he'd previously heard said, "There's already a family here, living in the last two rooms on the first floor. I suggest you take the adjacent ones. Will you two stay together?"

The question was evidently directed to the younger two. The older one answered, "No, I'd rather have some privacy, at least."

The voice sounded amused. "Well, as long as we have enough rooms, that shouldn't be a problem. We may need to reconsider if we need to lodge more families here."

Dudley knew they wouldn't have time for him while settling in their new lodging. He didn't know if they were magical or not or if they knew about him and his cousin. He decided to keep to himself until dinner, when they would probably be all served together, and retired back to the library.

About an hour later, the library's door opened to let in the girl that Dudley had estimated to be about his own age. She had brown wavy hair, dark blue eyes, pleasant face and a slightly plump, although very pleasing figure. She was quite a bit shorter than him, barely reaching his chin. The girl looked around, found him and approached purposefully. "Likky said I would find you here. She thinks we could keep company with each other," she said in a way of greeting. She then extended her hand. "I'm Bernadette, but everybody calls me Bette. What's your name?"

Dudley stood up from the sofa and shook her hand, trying not to press too hard. "I'm Dudley. Nice to meet you Bette. It has really been very boring here until now."

She seemed amused. "Sitting in the library and feeling bored? You could read to pass the time, you know."

He shrugged. "I tried. Most of the books are about Magic, and I found nothing with stories that could keep my interest. I'm not very keen about reading, as you may guess."

"May I understand that you're not magical?"

"Not even a little bit. Are you?"

"Yes. I'm the only magical person in my family. My parents are muggles and so is my elder sister. As a muggle-born, I'm in danger, now that the death-eaters took over. That's why we're here. Who's magical in your family?"

"Nobody. Well, neither I nor my parents, and I have no siblings. My cousin, who used to live with us, is magical. That's why we're here."

Bette seemed confused. "Why should he live with you? Where are his parents?"

Dudley sighed. He didn't feel like talking about Harry, but that was kind of expected now. "Well, my cousin is an orphan. He lost his parents when he was about a year old and was sent to live with us. My parents don't like him and didn't treat him well. I'm ashamed to say I acted the same until two years ago, when he saved me from Dem… something. I mean, those creature that make everything cold and make one feel as if all happiness is sucked out of them."

"Dementors," she whispered in awe. "You've seen Dementors?"

He chuckled, not quite humorously. "I didn't see them, not being magical. I only felt cold and despair. My cousin Harry saw them and produced some silvery animal that chased them away before they had a chance to suck my soul out."

"How old is your cousin?"

"Seventeen, like me. Why do you ask?"

"I thought he was older, having produced a Patronus – that's the silvery animal that repelled the Dementors. But if he's seventeen, that means he's one year above me… What's his name again?"

Dudley shrugged. "Harry. He's not much taller than you and quite thin, with black hair and round, ugly, spectacles."

She gasped as the description seemed to wake some memories. "Do you mean to say that Harry Potter is your cousin? **The** Harry Potter?"

"Well, that's his name. I don't know how many have that name too."

Bette seemed agitated. "Why isn't he here?"

Dudley shrugged again. "I'm not sure. The way he said that terrorist was targeting him, I thought he could benefit from staying in a safe house, but he said he had a mission to complete before that Dark Lord could be dealt with. I don't know where he's now."

She looked at him with some evident suspicion. "Are you sure you're not making this up?"

He was really confused. "Why should I make it up? Nobody in my family has ever wanted to be related to him. I can now understand that he really has something to do and that he saved my life, but we had never been close. I don't think he even likes me. I can't blame him, though."

She seemed to calm a bit, but was still somewhat apprehensive. "Then, why are you here?"

Dudley shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not quite sure, but Harry said we should hide until this terrorist is vanquished, as the protections on our house..."

"Wards..." Bette said quietly.

"Yes, that's the word he used. Well, Harry said they would collapse at his seventeenth birthday and the terrorist would come after us in order to get to him."

Bette nodded. "That's the way the Death Eaters act."

They were quiet for a while. Dudley sat back and waved for her to sit wherever she liked. Bette chose to sit on the same sofa, but near the other end. It took quite a while before anybody spoke.

Bette was the one to break the silence. "So, now that you have some company, what would you like to do?

Dudley snapped his head back in her direction. "I'm not sure. I mean, all the entertainment I normally have at home can't function here, or so I was told. Maybe we could play some board games, although I found none in here. I'd also like to exercise a bit, if only to stay in shape, but we can't really go outside for that and there's no appropriate room inside. Do you have any suggestion?"

She smiled at him, and Dudley found that he liked her smile. "I suggest we spend some time talking, getting to know each other. We may then find some things we could do together or how we could help each other." She went silent for a moment and then added, "How about we tell each other about our life at school and see where that leads? Care to start?"

Dudley had never talked that way to any girl. The only person with whom he had even mentioned a few private thoughts was Piers, his friend since early childhood, and he was quite reluctant to discuss most thing with Piers, knowing how shallow his friend was. He didn't feel that reluctance with this girl. He told her about Smelting, about the way he had felt when he started there and how he became a boxing champion. He told her about his struggle with the diet imposed on him and his difficulties achieving any acceptable grades. It was refreshing to be able to talk to someone about things that he had previously been unable to talk with anybody about.

They were interrupted when Likky invited them for lunch. It was natural for them to sit together. Dudley didn't even register the scrawls of his parents, seeing him talking in a friendly manner with someone who was clearly a witch, as the wand peeking from her pocket indicated. By the time he thought to introduce her to his parents, they had already returned to their room. Instead, Bette introduced him to her sister and her parents, who seemed quite glad for her to find somebody to talk with.

"Why don't you talk now? My cousin had never said much about his school. Well, my parents wouldn't let him even if he wanted. I'd really like to hear what it's like."

Bette seemed quite eager to talk about her early bouts of magic, the confusion they brought and then the understanding, once she got her Hogwarts letter. Dudley found it fascinating, and could finally understand how frustrating this must have been to Harry, lacking any family support, if even Bette, with full support of her family, found some of these events more than frustrating.

It got more interesting as she started talking about Hogwarts. Somehow, each year had Harry involved in something that was life threatening. While Bette didn't dwell on these events, just mentioning them on passing made Dudley acutely aware of how special his cousin seemed to be. Bette didn't know many of the details, but what she knew was more than enough to make Dudley think of how unfair his family was and how they should have treated Harry differently.

By dinner time, Bette had finished most of her story, just like Dudley had done before lunch. They sat together once again. His parents ignored them completely. Her parents seemed delighted that they were becoming friends. Dudley thought that he had talked and listened that day more than he had with his friends since primary school.

When they returned to the library room, Bette chose to sit much closer to Dudley. Both needed to finish their stories, but it didn't take long. Dudley found that he liked listening to her voice and he liked watching her face while she talked. He continued watching her face even after both finished their stories. Bette suddenly giggled. "You know, nobody ever looked at me the way you do."

Dudley seemed to be brought out of a trance. "What do you mean?" he finally asked, when her words sank into his mind.

"You look at me like I'm important to you, like you really care, and, well, as if you like my looks."

"I really like you. I'm not sure what it means or how it would evolve, but it feels nice to be with you. I'm really glad you're here."

She smiled thankfully, and then tried to hide a yawn, not too successfully. "I think I should go to bed now. We've left home before five in the morning. I should really catch up with my sleep. Will I see you tomorrow?"

He chuckled. It was almost as if they were courting. "Sure! Where else can I go?"

Her smile widened. "Well, goodnight then, and see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Bette." A moment later she left him alone. Dudley looked for a book about the basics of magic and tried to read some of it. He really wanted to understand Bette better, and Harry too.

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	2. Closer

**Warning!** Mature scenes ahead.

 **2 Closer**

Dudley met her again at breakfast. Bette seemed refreshed and eager to talk with him. He first noticed that she was no longer wearing jeans and T-shirt, but a nice flowery dress that let him see her legs for most of their length and quite a bit of her shoulders and her cleavage. He really liked what he saw. Her legs were shapely, her skin fair and the cleavage hinted at nice sized breasts, just a bit lower. She was no competition to any of the porn stars whose pictures he liked to watch on the Internet, but she was pleasant and enticing in her own way. When she sat at his side, he also noticed the fresh fragrance engulfing her. It seemed to raise his spirits just by inhaling it. He wondered if that was something magical or not.

They retired to the library after breakfast. Bette sat at his side, quite close at that, and took his hand in hers before asking, "Do you think it would take long?"

Dudley wasn't sure what she was talking about. She elaborated. "This war. How long will it take? Weeks? Months? Years? Do you have any idea?"

He didn't have any. "I don't know enough to even form an opinion. I believe you know much more about this than me. Do you have any idea?"

She sighed, turning very serious. "It's hard to tell. The previous time, just before I was born, it lasted a few years, but it stayed a war against terrorist actions. Now they've taken the Ministry. I don't know what it may mean. If they really control the country, it may take very long to overthrow them."

"Are you saying we may need to stay here for years?" The idea frightened him more than he was willing to admit.

"Well, that's certainly something I don't want to happen. And then, how safe is this place? Can we be sure it will stay safe for a few more months? Maybe a few years? Maybe more? If they're really searching for us, they may eventually find it, even by chance. What then?" Dudley didn't know what to say. He had never been an abstract thinker. He could easily think about tangible things: food, clothing, boxing, school… Things like safety, chances, or alternate possibilities made him feel lost. "I have no idea," he said softly, "but I'll do my best to help you any way you want me to."

This seemed to be the right thing to say, as her face brightened. She smiled, and he could see some mischief in her smile, although he had no idea what she could have in mind.

Bette moved slightly closer, almost leaning on him. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Dudley was certainly surprised by the change of subject and the change of mood. He still answered truthfully. "No, I have no girlfriend, nor did I have one before. I've hardly even dated."

"And why is that?"

He shrugged. "For the last six years, I've been at a boarding school for boys only, and then, during vacations, I didn't have much chance getting to know new girls."

She stayed silent for a moment, as if processing the new information, and then asked, "Have you been intimate with any girl or woman? Have you experienced sex?"

Dudley didn't understand why she was asking such an intimate question. It made him blush and feel hot, but he was sure that she didn't ask just of curiosity, even if he had no idea what made her ask it. "Not really. Dad took me to a certain house after I reached sixteen, but none of the women there looked even slightly enticing. It was very embarrassing, really."

Bette turned to look directly in his eyes. "So, you're still a virgin, just like me. Do you think we could help each other get rid of our virginity?"

That was a kind of question he had never expected a girl to ask him, and certainly not one who seemed so nice and well behaved like Bette. He then remembered promising to do his best to help her. This kind of help, he thought, was something he could tackle, unlike fighting terrorists or saving her from a war. "I think we could do that," he said cautiously, unsure about her real intentions.

Now it was her turn to blush. "This is not something I would have even contemplated under normal circumstances, you should know, but now, with our future being anything but assured, I feel like I don't want to give up on some experiences I expected to have. If they find us, I can't really contemplate becoming a mother, as that would condemn an innocent soul, but I can still enjoy some sex. And then, even if we win the war within a short time, nobody really expects a girl my age to be still a virgin. I'm almost seventeen, you know. Most of my class mates have already enjoyed sex for more than a year. Some even more than two."

Dudley was still unsure about what was expected of him. "So, how do you want to proceed?"

She smiled shyly. "I don't want us to hurry too much. I want us to get to know each other much better, become closer as friends, and only then try for sex." She then chuckled. "As we only have each other for company, it may only take a very short time, since we talk with each other in a day more than we could talk in a month, under normal circumstances."

Dudley was still unsure about what she really meant, but he put it aside. He was just content to spend some time with her, talk with her and even let her explain some of the books, so that he could better understand what Magic meant and how it could or could not be used to achieve certain goals. That evening, when they parted for the night, she kissed his cheek and gave him a quick hug. He liked both. He even reciprocated by kissing her cheek. Both blushed, but smiled at each other.

\/\/\/

They returned to the library the next morning, after breakfast. Bette asked him to sit at one of the tables for a few minutes. She then took her wand out. Dudley grimaced at the sight. Luckily, she didn't notice. She first waved it at the door, although he couldn't see any change. He then watched her with fascination, while she turned the simple narrow sofa into a well padded, much wider and longer one. He noticed how the simple upholstery turned into rich velvet, while Bette only seemed to wave her wand and mutter a few syllables. She then turned her wand at her body. Dudley wondered what she had in mind. Was she going to change her proportions? Would she enlarge her tits or make herself slimmer?

She only mumbled a few words and made a small circle with the tip of her wand, causing some bluish fog to appear near her abdomen and be quickly absorbed into her body. She then put her wand away and turned to Dudley with a smile. "Do you like my handiwork?" she asked, waving at the changed sofa.

"Sure! It's fascinating to see how you can change things so easily."

She sighed. "It may seem easy, but it took me long enough to learn how to do such stuff, and I'm still not in full control of it. At least the cloth and the color turned right."

"And what was that last one, with the blue fog?"

She smiled somewhat nervously. "I'll tell you a bit later. It's just something I didn't want to forget."

Her expression changed as she came nearer and motioned him to stand up. "Now, how about a real hug? I hope you like it."

He engulfed her smaller frame in a tender hug. "I really like it. I like being close to you, and holding you in a hug is wonderful."

She tightened the hug. "Don't you like to properly kiss me?" she asked after hugging for a while.

Dudley understood. He lowered his head as she lifted her face to him, and their lips met. He thought her lips were soft and wonderful. He kissed them tenderly, at first, and then deepened the kiss, caressing her lips with his tongue. It then moved as if they were both following some ancient script. Their kisses became more passionate, their hugs more demanding. Their hands started roaming, caressing and teasing first, and then removing all offending clothing while they moved closer to the enlarged sofa. He let go of her for a moment, to allow her to position herself on the sofa and invite him to join.

Dudley had heard enough at school and had also seen some films. He knew he needed to entice her some more, tease her body until it was ready for him and close enough to the peak so he wouldn't disappoint her. He tried to act accordingly, despite the pressure building in his loins. He kissed her earlobes, her jawline, her shoulders and her breasts. After paying some attention to that region, he moved down. Licking her navel and caressing her belly, and then moving all the way to her thighs, where he kissed alternately, slowly advancing to the opening between them, that seemed to get wetter as time passed. He then licked at that opening and around it, until she started moaning. Dudley was glad he could find the clit, that some boys had considered impossible to find. He gave it a gentle rub and some licks, noticing that Bette was already breathing heavily and moaning almost constantly. He thought this was the right time to penetrate.

Being his first time, Dudley was surprised at the feelings he was getting while pushing in. They were so intense, that he feared he would lose control even before being fully sheathed. He then felt a certain obstacle and pushed harder. Bette yelped and grimaced, but didn't seem to pay it any further attention. He pushed farther until he could go no deeper.

The feeling was fantastic. He had never expected to feel such intense pleasure, or he would have tried it much earlier. He also noticed that Bette seemed to be in a certain state, since her mouth was open as if in a silent scream while her hands and her legs were hugging him as tightly as she could. His instincts urged him to move, but the tight hug prohibited any movement.

And then she seemed to come back to him. Her eyes searched for his and she smiled, slightly releasing the hug. He didn't need any explanation to understand. He started moving, slowly at first, and then faster and faster, pumping into her body, that moved in tandem with his, trying to enhance the pleasures. He knew he couldn't hold for long and recalled something about that. He moved his hand from her tit to her clit and started rubbing. It seemed to have an almost immediate effect, as she cried, "Dudley!" and her internal muscles started milking his organ. He could hold no longer. He pumped a few more times and then released into her, feeling his seed leave his body to fill hers.

Dudley turned them aside, so he wouldn't burden Bette with his weight, but none of them let go. By the time his spent member left her folds, they were still hugging fiercely.

"Thank you for making my first time so wonderful," she whispered.

"It was also wonderful for me, and I thank you just the same," he whispered back.

It took them quite some time to regain their senses. Dudley then turned concerned. "Are you on the pill? We've forgotten about contraceptives."

She smiled reassuringly at him. "Remember that spell you've asked about? It was the contraceptive spell. It should protect me for more than a day, and it has no unwanted side effects."

Dudley nodded understandingly. "Well, it's good thinking you cast it in advance."

She smiled and tightened the hug. "I wasn't sure if this would happen today already, but I didn't want to be caught off-guard."

Both were feeling sated and content. Dudley didn't even notice that he had fallen asleep, still hugging Bette. Evidently, she fell asleep as well.

They were woken up by Likky. "Lunch is ready. Would you like me to take you to the bathroom first?"

Bette glanced at her thighs, where some red signs were evident, along with some whitish signs. "Yes, that would be nice. Let me just unlock the door and then take us to my bathroom."

Bette moved from the sofa, grimacing a little, took her wand and undid the locking. She then waved her wand at their scattered clothes and made them fly into her other arm. Likki grabbed both teens. A fraction of a second later they stood in Bette's bathroom and Likki vanished.

"Are you sure you want us to shower together?" Dudley asked. "I can just go to my room for a shower."

She shrugged. "After what we've done together, why should a shower matter at all? You've already seen and felt everything, so…?"

"And if I get excited?" he asked, now also smiling.

"Then we'll do it all over again, and we don't need to bother about my hymen anymore."

Dudley couldn't say he didn't like it. She helped him wash his back and he rubbed her whole body with soap, getting excited as expected. He found out that sex in the shower was just as nice as sex in bed. He was not as happy to see his flabby belly at the shower. He swore in his mind to get in form, if only to make Bette proud of him.

Twenty minutes later, with hair still a bit moist, they joined the others at the lunch table. Dudley saw his parents looking disapprovingly at the way he held Bette's hand, but he didn't mind. For two years, since that Dementor attack, he was reevaluating his beliefs and his way of life, finding them severely lacking. Bette was a nice girl. Being a witch didn't change that at all. Suppose she had a singing talent, would his parents disapproved of her had they found out? Why should it matter if her talent was at Magic?

Bette's family was much more approving. Dudley noticed a certain apprehension in her parents' eyes, as if they were wondering if this was the right time to start new relationships, but it didn't seem to affect the warmth with which they accepted their daughter's new friend. He hoped it wouldn't change once they knew about him having sex with her. Magical or not – she was still their daughter who had not yet reached seventeen.

With lunch over, her family stayed a bit longer to chat around, before going back to their rooms. Dudley and Bette returned to the library. Bette looked at the sofa and frowned. There were very evident signs on it. She took out her wand, said a few words and the sofa was made clean again.

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	3. Sisters

**3 Sisters**

Dudley wondered what to do with the rest of the day. He enjoyed the sex and loved showering together, but he felt there should be more than that in a relationship, although he wasn't sure what. He couldn't say there was a lot he could learn from his parents about that.

Bette didn't seem to be bothered. She motioned Dudley to one of the couches, and then sat on his lap, initiating some kissing. After a long snog, when they parted for a while, Dudley thought it was the time to talk a bit. "What can we call the relationship we have?"

She smiled, not seeming bothered at all. "Does it matter? For now, it may be mainly sex, or you could be considered a friend with benefits, but it's still too early to name it. As time passes, it would surely change. We may become lovers. We may even get engaged. And then, we may also feel we've got enough of each other and look for other partners. We're both too young to commit and this is not a time to think of anything long term. We should just enjoy what we have for as long as we have it, and if it ends – we should move forward, leaving this in the past."

He tightened his hug. "I think I like you very much. Maybe you can be my girlfriend?"

She smiled and kissed his nose. "You nay call it whatever you want. I know that I'm starting to like you too. Who knows, maybe once this war is over, assuming we both survive it, we can make it into something more meaningful. I don't want to think of that, though. I'd like to live the moment until this war is over."

Dudley knew he could never phrase his feelings like her, nor express his thoughts so clearly. He would just try to stay her close friend, liking the benefits very much, and hope for it to end well. In a way, he didn't really need to give a name to their relationship. They were just two youngsters facing an uncertain future and trying to support each other. Wherever this might lead, he wasn't sure, but just staying close, hugging, kissing and shagging, was more than enough for the time being.

Somebody knocked on the door and then opened it without waiting for reply. Dudley turned his head and saw Ann, Bette's older sister, coming in. She was taller and slimmer than Bette but it was clear they were sisters, just by the way they looked. Ann chose a nearby couch and sat down, folding her legs under her body. She then looked at the two. "I think you've got the right idea about how to behave. Nobody can tell when and how this whole mess is going to end, so trying to enjoy whatever time we have here seems great to me. My only problem is that there's only one young man here."

Bette lifted her head from Dudley's shoulder to look at her sister. He could see a small, mischievous smile starting to form. He had no idea what any of the girls could have in mind.

Ann spoke to him now. "Dudley, do you think you could give me the same type of attention you're giving my sister?"

This was something he could have only dreamed of before. Sure, he had some dreams of shagging more than one girl, of being surrounded by attractive young women who only wanted him to have pleasure with them, but he had never thought they could become a reality. Although his parents thought differently, Dudley knew that he wasn't the kind of man that most women, or girls, liked. Despite his exercise and his diet, he was still overweight, and his facial features, too much like his father's, were not considered attractive either. And now…

"What do you mean?" he asked, not quite sure if he wasn't reading too much into a seemingly benign question.

"You two had sex, didn't you? I've only tried it a few times before and I didn't enjoy it much, yet Bette seems to have enjoyed it a lot. I thought I should give it a try now, considering the circumstances."

There was no longer any doubt about her intentions. Dudley got excited by the mere idea of having another sex partner. Bette, sitting on his lap, could feel it. He wondered how she would react. Not for long. Bette smirked and shifted in his lap, intentionally rubbing the bulge in his trousers. "I suggest you try it here, on the sofa. Mind if I watch?"

Ann seemed surprised, but then smirked as well. "How do we proceed?" she asked.

"I'll first lock and silence this room, just to keep our privacy. We can then proceed. Are you on the pill?"

Ann paled. "I haven't taken it since I parted from my last boyfriend. Should I change my plans now?"

Bette smiled. "No. The contraceptive charm should work on you just as well, and I think it would be wise to acquire the contraceptive potion, so you don't have to count on me casting it every day. Now, I'll go to search for some interesting books and let you two get acquainted some more."

She cast the spell with the bluish fog on her sister, winked at Dudley and moved behind the rows of books. Ann seemed to have lost her courage, her eyes watching the floor and her posture showing shyness. Dudley knew it was his duty to bring her out of it, if he wanted to give her a good experience, as she was clearly expecting.

He moved to the sofa and sat down, motioning for Ann to join him there, saying, "Why don't we first talk a bit. All I really know about you is your name and that you're Bette's older sister, and I guess you don't know much more about me."

This seemed to be the right way to act, as Ann left her couch and sat at his side. He noticed that her blouse was a bit loose, making it evident that she was not wearing a bra. He wondered if that was her habit or if she was just trying to advance her plan with him. Once seated, though, she seemed to return to her shy disposition.

"So, I understand that your sister is the only magical person in your family, just like my cousin is in my family," he said, as a way to start conversation.

Ann lifted her eyes to him and smiled. "Yes, I have no magic in me and none of my parents has. I'm not even sure if Magic is good, especially now."

Dudley shrugged. "I can't say I understand Magic, but I don't think it's either good or bad. It's just a tool. The one using it makes it either good or bad, just like any other tool. My cousin lost his parents when they were killed by magic, but he also saved my life by using magic."

She seemed to relax. "Hey, that's deep. I thought you're too young for such deep thinking. How old are you?"

Dudley shrugged it off. He had never been associated with deep thinking, or even thinking at all, and he didn't know what to make of it. The question was easy to answer, though. "I'm seventeen. How old are you?" He knew it wasn't the polite thing to ask, but hey – if he was going to shag her, that was one of the least embarrassing facts he would discover.

She smiled demurely. "I'm about two years older than Bette. I'll reach nineteen next month. I've started college last year. Now I'm not sure about the rest."

"What do you study?" He had no idea about that, but he thought it was right to ask.

"Mainly English Literature and Music. They seemed to be easy and I like reading and listening to all kinds of music. Both subjects turned quite boring, the way they teach them, so I consider trying something else."

Dudley thought it was time for him to tell a bit. "I was going to Smelting High School, where my father studied when young. It's a boarding school for boys only. I was a boxing champion there, but didn't do as well with my studies."

"Maybe you didn't get the right incentive?" she asked with some mischief in her voice.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, a girlfriend can usually help you focus on what's important, although she my also distract you quite a bit."

"How?" he blurted.

"Like this, for example." Ann unbuttoned her blouse some more, letting him see her breasts almost fully. He didn't even think, as the view made him lower his head and kiss one nipple while caressing the other breast.

"Don't you think it is a nice distraction?" he heard her amused voice above his head.

He detached his mouth from her nipple for long enough to say, "Perfect!" before returning to sucking and licking it.

Ann seemed content with his actions. She started removing his clothes, unbuckling his belt and unzipping his fly. It didn't take long for both to stand up for a moment, rid themselves of the rest of their clothing, and cuddle on the sofa, intent on pleasuring each other. Dudley only noticed that she was not wearing knickers under her knee-long skirt, but he was too busy to think of that. By the time he moved his fingers to that area, he found Ann's opening wet and ready.

Unlike his first time, there was no need to bother with the hymen. When Ann positioned them ready for penetration, it was immediate. He found she was giving him slightly different feelings when he moved inside her. They were just as good, making his body hum with anticipation as he continued pumping into her, not forgetting to tease her clit while doing this. He wasn't sure it was as good as it had been with Bette, but it was still very good. By the time he filled Ann's tunnel with his cum, both felt unprecedented pleasure that drifted eventually into a sated calmness, once they let their bodies relax.

Ann opened her eyes and looked at him with a big smile. "This was much better than my previous experiences. Whenever Bette is indisposed, you may come to me."

"And why should I be indisposed?" he heard Bette's voice from the other side.

Ann smiled wider. "Well, you may have your period, for example. I also hope you're not going to hog him all for yourself. Sisters should share at times like this, you know."

Bette moved to where he could see her, and he noticed she was already naked. "Sure! That's what sisters are for. Now, move aside. I'm too horny to wait any longer."

After a while, both sisters were sated. Dudley felt elated and exhausted. Nobody ever mentioned to him that sex could also be tiring. This time, though, they were more aware of the time. All were clothed and looked completely innocent by the time Likky called them for lunch, and the sofa looked cleaner than ever.

This was the first time since he'd been a small child that Dudley decided to rest after lunch. He had a hunch that the sisters were going to tire him some more before nightfall.

He was awakened by Bette knocking on his door. He opened the door, still wearing only his boxers, not quite thinking. Bette stepped in and closed the door behind her. She then used her wand to lock and silence the door. "You know, I think I'll move here, if you don't mind. Now that I have to share you with my sister, I want to be with you whenever I can. If I move here, we can spend the nights together, at least. I'm sure Ann will not want to give up her own room."

"I've never slept with somebody else," he said.

She smirked. "Actually, we've fallen asleep after our first time and it was marvelous! I think we're going to like sleeping like that."

"Well, if you say so..." he reluctantly agreed.

"Now, how about a quick shag before we go to the library? I've found some books that may interest you too."

That was an offer he couldn't reject, and he had rested enough. Bette removed her dress quickly. She seemed to have taken her sister's example, as she wore nothing under that dress. Dudley removed his boxers, and she dragged him back to bed. He knew he was going to enjoy it.

They joined Ann at the library a short while later. She was reading some book and didn't even lift her head when hearing them come in. "You've shagged," she said, stating it as a fact. "You should better shower after you do, as the scent is quite strong."

Dudley blushed. Bette just shrugged. "Everybody has already smelled it at lunch, and we can't keep it secret even if we try. Why bother, then?"

Ann didn't answer. She just kept reading.

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	4. War

**4 War**

Bette moved to his room after telling her parents during dinner. They didn't object, only asked her if she was sure about it. The Dursley parents acted as if they heard nothing and saw nothing. Dudley didn't know how to interpret their behavior.

Ann accompanied them to Dudley's room, now shared with Bette. She insisted on a shag for goodnight. "I'm sure you two will go at it several times during the night. I only ask for one shag, so I can sleep better." Bette smirked and waved them to the bed, already enlarged to be fit for a couple. Dudley thought that being shared by these two sisters was quite fun. He only hoped he could perform well enough.

A few weeks passed the same way. Bette and Dudley were acting like a couple, living in the same room, sharing bed, reading together at the library, sharing showers and baths. Dudley was learning to appreciate reading, as both Ann and Bette were avid readers. Bette had told him something about being sorted to Ravenclaw, but it didn't correlate with anything. They found some books with interesting stories for him, and Bette was good at explaining the stories where Magic was involved. He enjoyed hearing her explanations even more than the stories themselves.

Dudley wasn't quite aware of the passage of time, but the sisters were. "I think we're not going to be left along for long," Bette said one afternoon.

"Why do you think so?" he asked.

"Have you noticed the date? School will start in a few days. I think more Muggle-Borns will have to flee, as the Death Eaters will arrest them on first occasion, and coming to school seems the ideal one."

"Why should they be arrested?" he wondered. Why would one even want to arrest school children?

She sighed. "They claim that muggleborns are stealing magic from the purebloods. That's complete nonsense, as everybody in his right mind can see, but they've already started arresting muggleborns and sending them to concentration camps. Does that ring a bell?"

"Nazi Germany!" he gasped. That was bad. He hadn't studied that era much, but he had several computer games that used that time as a background, if only to justify extreme violence in them. That was really, really bad.

Bette continued, "So, I expect this house and any other safe house to be filled within a few days. I'm glad I'm no longer using my original room, so others can use it. If it gets too crowded, should we ask Ann to join us?" There was clear mischief in the last sentence.

"I like sleeping with you, but even that has some drawbacks. Sharing with another person may be too much, though."

She smirked. "I thought you liked shagging her."

"Sure, once or twice a day. More than that may turn too tiring, and I won't be able to give you what you've become accustomed to." He really thought that way.

Bette turned serious. "You know, we may get some additional girls our age, and not necessarily enough boys. Would you be ready to give similar services to more girls?"

Dudley gulped. Two months earlier, even having sex once was just a dream. Now he was enjoying a very active sex life with these two sisters. Was he able to cope with more? He wasn't sure. "I'll do what I can, but I'd rather spend the time with you."

She smiled, kissed his cheek and went back to her reading.

\/\/\/

Bette's predictions were spot on. During the last week of August, the house got gradually filled. Not all the people came with families, though. Several young men and women arrived with only their clothes on their bodies, clearly rescued at the last moment. Another group consisted of Hogwarts students. All, except the ones who were going to start Hogwarts, already knew each other to some extent and most had their wands with them, as well as some clothing. Hestia and Dedalus were busy with the newcomers, trying each day to juggle the limited resources to give lodging to everyone. Bette's room was soon reallocated for a young expecting couple. Ann offered to share with other girls her age. Despite the house being quite big. Some of the younger children had to do with sharing dorm rooms, like at school. They were set up to six in a room. Magic was used to create beds and other furniture.

"They may also need to use some space expansion charms," Bette told him.

"What are these?"

"They make a room, or whatever enclosure you choose, larger inside than it is outside." She saw his bewildered expression. "Don't try to understand it. That's something that doesn't seem possible, I know, but trust me it is."

Back in their room, she showed him her school trunk. She opened the lid and let him peek in. He saw an opening, barely large enough for him to squeeze through, and a ladder leading down, as if leading to the floor below. "What is it?"

"This is my five-levels trunk. It has five different trunks in it, and I can put different things in each. The last level is practically a small apartment, equipped to keep me safe for a year, at least, with all provisions stored there. If things get worse than expected, we can go in there and lock ourselves in."

"Can't they just burn the trunk?" Dudley asked.

"It's protected well enough against all normal ways of destruction. Besides, I added another charm, making it invisible when necessary, and also another to make it float in the air. With both active, it's possible to steer it somewhere safer."

"What about the rest of your family?"

Bette looked uncomfortable. "I can't do much for them. The trunk will only accept me and my mate. I thought of creating portkeys for them, sending them someplace safe, but I'm not sure I know enough to do that. Besides, where is it really safe? Can you say?"

He shook his head sadly. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I know Harry has some important role in trying to defeat that dark lord of yours. I have confidence in him."

Bette nodded in agreement. They could do nothing but hope and have confidence in whoever was trying to fight. None of them could do much besides that.

\/\/\/

Bette's predictions were also spot on in other aspects. While the younger children were about the same number of boys and girls, the older ones, those who could be of interest to Dudley, were mostly girls. There were about three to four times as many girls as boys, and most of those were not magical, while about half the girls were witches. Bette had no logical explanation for this, but the situation was very close to what she had suspected it would be. When staying in the library, about ten girls would seat themselves nearby, trying to attract Dudley's attention. A few were even quite bold, unbuttoning their blouses enough to let him see more than a glimpse of their breasts, or sit in a way that would make him notice the fact that they were wearing nothing under their skirts. As much as he enjoyed the views, he didn't think he could feel comfortable with any of these girls.

He felt better with the subtler attention of other girls, and Bette was actually encouraging him to get closer with them. "The way they act, you can probably shag them all each day and none would complain," she told him.

"Why are you so eager for me to shag other girls? I thought you'd like me to be only yours, at least for a while."

She shrugged. "If we get out of this alive, we may feel like we had enough of each other while hiding. I want you to enjoy other girls as well so you won't feel like you had to give up something, if and when we decide to formalize our relationship."

Dudley felt quite overwhelmed by this declaration. How could she think of any formal relations with him? She was a witch, and quite a talented one, if he could judge that, besides being a nice young woman who could also be extremely sexy, if she chose to, while he… He felt like he was a nobody, the son of a bigoted bully and a gossip. He knew he wasn't the brightest star at school and aside from his muscles and his size there was not much he could offer. Why should such a nice witch want to formalize… That really meant marriage, didn't it? Why should she want to marry him?

Dudley had become acutely aware of all his shortcomings since that encounter with a Dementor. It was not that he didn't like the idea of having Bette for a wife, although he wasn't sure what being married to such a girl could mean. He liked her very much and enjoyed seeing her reading, solving some problems or just sleeping at his side, her face tranquil, her chest moving slightly as she breathed.

His parents would never agree to him marrying a witch, of that he felt sure. But Bette was not just a witch. She was a kind person who cared for her sister and her parents, who also paid attention to the younger children that arrived and tried to comfort them, especially those who arrived alone, with no family. He had seen her holding a sobbing boy, caressing his head and his back and whispering soothingly at him. Dudley could easily imagine her as a young mother, comforting her own child, his child. He wondered why he was thinking that way of her.

Eventually, he did as she suggested. He didn't take any other girl to his bed. It was his and Bette's only. After the first time, even Anne didn't come to that bed, and he wanted to keep it this way. Instead, Bette partitioned a small segment from the library, making its interior large enough to accommodate a double canopy bed, two night stands and a fireplace. It was enough for any of the girls who wanted a shag and it felt alright for him.

Dudley didn't accept just any girl, though. He rejected the sluttier ones, feeling uncomfortable with them. He also rejected ones younger than sixteen, considering them too young. The others were enough to keep him busy every morning and most of the afternoons.

\/\/\/

With so many people kept away from everything, news became a sought after commodity. Likky was instructed to bring two copies of the Daily Prophet each day, along with anything else of interest. A wireless receiver was also brought, but was kept in a separate room, reserved for the adults only. Dudley wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Both the newspaper and the wireless were controlled by the current Ministry and whatever was published seemed more of a propaganda than real news. Well, except for the unofficial news they could occasionally get from Potter Watch – a clandestine transmission that seemed to broadcast the real news, as unpleasant as it was turning to be. Each time they would mention the names of those killed in Death-Eaters raids and those who had just "disappeared". Whatever he didn't truly understand, Bette was more than willing to explain. "They are still listing Harry at the top of the undesirable list. This means that they hadn't yet found him, which is good news."

They didn't talk about names removed from the list. Everybody knew what that meant. Dudley found his anxiety was rising constantly. At first, shagging all those girls was a way of relaxing, at least mentally, but as time passed, it proved less and less relaxing. The girls could not relax either. He was just closing the door behind one of the older ones, almost eighteen years old, when she burst crying, clinging to him as if he was her savior. It took him some time to hug her comfortingly and caress her hair and her back before she calmed down enough to talk.

"I've heard the news yesterday. She used to be my dorm mate for six years. We weren't real friends, but living with someone for so long does something to you. I thought she left the country. At least I hoped so. Then they found her body mutilated. She was evidently raped multiple times before the werewolves tore her to pieces. She used to be such a nice girl..."

He shagged nobody that morning, spending it all on trying to comfort the distraught girl. Eventually, Bette found some calming potion and gave it to the girl, and then accompanied her to her bed, where another potion let her sleep. Dudley wasn't sure if that was the best treatment for such a situation, but it was the best they could do there. He then spent several hours just hugging Bette, trying to remove the memory of those atrocities from his own mind.

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	5. Gym

**5 Gym**

Despite being very active in bed, Dudley felt that he needed some more exercise, that he was becoming too soft and flabby. Like everything else, the first person with whom he shared his concerns was Bette. She gave it some thought before answering. "It's too dangerous, and too cold right now, to exercise outside. I think there's some unused space in the cellar. I'll see if we can turn it into some kind of gym."

She needed to wait a few days, not wanting to make major changes without the consent of the owner. Diggle came to check on his guests one evening, and Bette was quick to catch him and present her idea. He seemed to like it and gave her his permission to do whatever she deemed right, as long as nobody's safety was compromised.

Dudley was surprised when she took him to the cellar a few days later. The large, dark hall that he had seen only a week or so earlier was now a well illuminated gym with all the necessary equipment. Some of the instruments even seemed to be real, muggle made ones, of the kind he had seen before. None of them needed electricity, of course. Then there were other instruments that looked similar to ones he had known, but not quite. The treadmill had adjustable speed and inclination, controlled by buttons on the panel, but using no electricity.

Dudley found the gym to give him more than he thought he could get. He started exercising each day, lifting weights, walking or running on the treadmill and using other instruments to put to work various other muscles. He was not the only one to exercise. Bette joined him from the first time, wearing tight clothes that showed off her curves. Other girls took her example, and then the boys got note of the skimpily clad girls and came as well.

"I didn't think it was going to become such a popular place," he told Bette.

"I knew it would. Beside the clothing, none of those staying here is a stranger to the concept of exercise and fitness, and this is something to keep us busy and not thinking of the outside world. I only wish I could also add a swimming pool."

"What for? The gym is already way above average."

She smirked. "Well, not too many have swimsuits here, so a pool would have to be used without clothes. Won't you like the view?"

Dudley shrugged. "I may like it, but you can't say I don't see plenty of girls nude. More than just see, actually. And yet I like looking at you most of all. Whenever I'm tired or anxious, looking at you, concentrating on your reading or sleeping peacefully, makes me calm down and feel less tired. I really like being with you."

Her smile softened as her eyes shone. "I know, dear. I feel the same about you."

\/\/\/

Time seemed to pass differently inside the safe house. Despite the news seeping in, it still stayed an island, isolated from what was happening outside. Besides, things were happening inside. Ann's room mate moved out to live with her boyfriend and Ann invited one of the young men to share bed with her. Some similar changes were occurring with others too. Dudley was content that some of the girls who had constantly been looking for his company had found some other boys to interest them. He was not as glad that some other girls found the young athletic man that he was becoming, very interesting. His time at the gym was spent half exercising and half repelling unwanted attention. It only amused Bette, though.

"They all know we share bed. I find it difficult to understand why they think they could ensnare you by exposing this or that while you get to see it all and feel it all with me."

Dudley just hugged her, saying nothing. He knew she was important for him, but he didn't have a word to place on it. He was just glad that she felt so confident about him.

Spring was coming. Not that anybody could really notice it, living in that isolated house, but it did affect people. Boys were suddenly more aware of the other gender; girls were becoming more flirty; young men were trying to impress young women and young women were suddenly thinking of babies. With so many people crowded into that house, some tension was also unavoidable.

Dudley was waking each morning with Bette at his side, usually hugging in their sleep. With all the tension and the excess energy in the house, he tried to stay mostly in their room. Bette was bringing in enough books to keep them both busy, and Likky seemed to like bringing them breakfast and lunch, sparing them a visit at the dining hall. It also had one additional benefit: Bette would stay nude until they needed to leave the room. No matter how many girls he saw and felt, Bette was still special for him. He could enjoy watching her for days and never get bored.

It was the beginning of May. The news had not been good for so long that nobody talked of it, unless personally affected. When they reached the dining room for lunch, something seemed off. There was a certain feeling that things were different, although Dudley couldn't say why. The few conversations at the table were just unimportant small-talk, yet there was tension, so high that he could almost touch it.

And then the entrance door burst open. "It's over! The Dark Lord is no more. Harry Potter saved us once again!" Dedalus Diggle seemed euphoric, despite his torn robes, the stains on his clothes and his face and the evident exhaustion of his body. "It's over! We won! Harry did it!"

In the commotion that followed, nobody seemed to notice that Vernon left immediately, yet Petunia moved closer to Dedalus, as if trying to hear it better. Dudley noticed.

It took them several hours to get all the news. Victory was achieved, but at a price. Many of the fighters died or were seriously injured. Harry almost died, Dedalus said that Harry actually died and came back to life, which seemed impossible, but Dudley didn't argue. And yet, even more unbelievable was the story of Harry breaking into Gringotts, that formidable bank that everybody thought of as unbreakable, and escaping on a Dragon!

Yet most importantly, he manged to ask Dedalus several times, "Is Harry fine?" and get the answer, "Yes, Harry is healthy and well. He had some scratches and looked very tired, but fine otherwise." Dudley noticed that his mother listened attentively to that, before wearing her indifferent face again and moving back to her room.

Somebody else asked, "Can we return home now?"

Dedalus was more cautious with this answer. "We still don't know how many Death Eaters and supporters have escaped, or never joined the battle. We need to put everything back under control and make sure that all dangers are gone, before you can go back home. We may also need to check your different homes for damage or traps before you can return. It shouldn't take much more than a week, I believe."

They all threw a celebration that evening. Likky prepared a fabulous dinner and many fine desserts. It was followed by music and dancing and some drinking. Even the children were allowed a small glass of wine. Dudley and Bette were considered children no more. They still refrained from drinking more than that single glass.

Dudley felt like he was torn inside. As much as he was glad that the war was over, the threat was removed and he could return to his normal life, he also felt like this was also ending something that he found he cherished more than his "normal" life. With the war over, Bette would return to the magical world, leaving him behind. Was this the reason that she didn't want to give their relationship a name? And yet he knew that she also didn't want this to end. Just a single glance at her face showed him that she was just as worried as he was. Could they find a way to be together? How?

They were among the first to leave the celebration. They went to their room, undressed and cuddled together in bed. "I don't want to lose you," Bette said, "especially now, that I no longer need to share you."

"I don't want to lose you either, but how can I keep you?" he said, tightening the hug, as if to show her how much he wanted her to stay at his side.

"Marry me!" she said. She then gave it some thought. "We can't marry right away, though. You'll be eighteen in less than two months, but I'll reach that age in three more months. We can then get married the Muggle way. It's legal in the magical world too."

Dudley didn't know what to say. He wanted them to stay together, yet marriage… He didn't want them to turn into a younger version of his parents. He wanted more from life. He wanted… And then it suddenly struck him.

"I love you," he said.

She probably didn't even hear him. He could see that "thinking" expression on her face, that he loved so much. "I love you!" he said again and again. She finally noticed. "What did you say?"

He smiled back at her, feeling his heart overflow with emotions. "I love you! It suddenly occurred to me what our relations mean to me. I love you and I want you to stay at my side for my whole life. Will you marry me?"

He could see her eyes fill with tears, but he knew she wasn't sad or hurt. "Yes, Dudley, I'll marry you as soon as we're both of age. I love you too."

They kissed for much longer than usual, and then let themselves celebrate. They celebrated not only the end of the war but also the start of something new and wonderful that they would make for the future and for the children they were going to have one day. It was much more than sex. It was true love, that made everything else they did together more wondrous.

\/\/\/

Dudley was not glad to tell his parents about his engagement. While they could not complain about his beloved's looks or her family – both Bette's parents were construction engineers, owning a successful company that seemed to do just fine even while they had taken a sabbatical, as they had told others – he knew they would oppose her just for being magical. One freak in the family was already more than they could endure. Another one, and possibly some freak grandchildren was more than they would ever accept. And yet, they couldn't tell her parents and not inform his as well.

They discussed their options during the morning, finally settling on the way to act, still unsure how well it would go. They joined the others for lunch. The atmosphere was happy and light-hearted, with many conversations taking place and some laughter heard. Dudley saw his parents sitting at the corner table, eating silently, as usual. Bette's family was sitting close to the center, along with Ann's boyfriend, who seemed to be well accepted.

They first approached his parents. "Mom, Dad, we need to talk with you after lunch. Do you want us to come to your room?"

Vernon acted as if he had heard nothing. Petunia lifted her head to Dudley. "You know you can always come to our room, Dudkins. We're your parents."

They then went to her parents, inviting themselves for a bit later, before sitting at another table, with some of the friends they'd made during their stay.

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	6. Victory

**6 Victory**

Dudley knocked on his parents' door after they finished lunch. Petunia opened it, looking suspiciously at Bette, but waving them both in. The room was about the same as his, only having four chairs and a small table that his room lacked. Petunia waved them to sit and took her place on another chair. Vernon was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Dudely decided to act as if his father was sitting with them.

"Mom, Dad, you've already seen Bernadette, the girl that I met here and who became a very close friend." He could hear Vernon snort at the description. He didn't let that intimidate him. "Since we met, Bette has become a very important part of my life. I believe that her influence made me a much better man too. I want her to also stay in my life in the future. I asked her to marry me and she agreed."

Petunia looked as if she had just drunk the juice of a whole, unsweetened lemon. "Are you sure it's not premature? I mean, you're both so young. You know that people may change their minds after a while."

Dudley knew she would ask and had his answer ready. "The time here was not like living at home. Everything was more intensive, you know. Had I met her at home, I would have spent a few hours each week in her company, taking several years until I could say I really knew her. Due to the circumstances, we've spent almost every waking minute together, getting to know each other much better than many married couples. We both believe we're ready for such a commitment."

Petunia grimaced. "But isn't she..."

"A witch?" Dudley finished the question for her. "Yes, she is. As far as I can tell, she's very talented and knowledgeable, just as your sister had been, although I don't find it relevant. I love her for being the wonderful person she is, not for her talents or her looks, although I like them too."

Petunia seemed to become a bit warmer. "Well, Dudkins, if you're happy with her then…"

" **OUT!** " Vernon had evidently come out of bed. He was standing near the table, ominously pointing at the door. " **Out, you two! I don't need another freak in the family. I won't accept this even if she bewitched me! Out you go and I never want to hear anything about you again!** "

Vernon's face was red, almost violet, and the vein in his temple was inflated and throbbing, as if trying to jump out of his skin. Petunia looked at him, as if trying to make him change his mind, but he wasn't looking in her direction. He probably couldn't even see her in his rage. She turned her glance to her child. "You'd better go now. I'll talk to him later. And… good luck!"

Dudley nodded curtly, grabbed Bette's hand and walked out, not sparing his father a single glance. He still heard the door slamming behind him.

The visit with her parents was much pleasanter. "About time you proposed," Bette's father told him. "You've been experiencing the joys of matrimony for more than half a year without any of the obligations, and I was starting to worry. Now I know you're a decent chap."

"Oh, he would have proposed a week after we met, had I let him," Bette said, "but I was not ready to commit. Now I am."

"Have you thought about the future?" Her mother was the more practical one.

"Well, we both need to finish our studies, as the war took one school-year away from us. Then we shall need a place to live in and find some work," Bette said.

"Don't you want to get some academic studies first? They may improve your chances for a decent income," her father asked.

"There's no magical university in Britain. I may choose to study for my mastery as an apprentice, but I'm not sure I'd like it."

"And I'm not that great at studies, although Bette's influence may have helped a bit," Dudley admitted.

"Well, there's still time for you to decide. When do you want to get married?"

"As soon as I reach eighteen."

Her mother chuckled. "That probably means during October. It may pose a little problem."

Bette frowned. "What kind of problem?"

"Nothing too serious. Have you talked with your sister lately?"

"Not since we learned of the victory. Why?"

Her mother's smile seemed as bright as the sun. "Her boyfriend also proposed. They plan a wedding during October, just before going back to college. We can't shoulder two weddings so close, you know."

Bette only glanced at Dudley. He wondered if she could read his thoughts that way, and then recalled all the times he had known exactly how she felt about something with just a short glimpse at her face. "We can make it one wedding for both your daughters. That would be much easier for you and for your guests. Let me call Ann, so we can talk."

She returned alone a moment later. It took a few more minutes for Ann and her fiance to arrive, both looking quite red. Bette didn't let that disturb her. "Mom has just told me that congratulations are in order. We're very glad that you decided to get married. It also happens that Dudley and I decided to do the same. Now, I think it would be easier on everyone if we both get married at the same time. What do you say?"

Ann looked at her fiance and then smiled. "I see no problem, and I think it would be great to have the two weddings together."

As the women started talking about the wedding, Bette's father motioned Dudley to sit with him at the other corner of the room. "May I assume that it didn't go too well with your parents?" he asked in hushed tones.

"Yes, but how do you know?"

The man smiled. "I know my daughter. That visit annoyed her, but she tried not to show it. And then, you were also disturbed, and it wasn't due to being engaged. Can you tell me some more?"

Dudley sighed. "They're so… bigoted! I mean, my aunt and uncle were both magical. After they were murdered, Harry was brought to live with us, but they treated him awfully and taught me to act the same. They called him 'freak' because of his magic. Then, two years ago, something happened that made me realize the truth. Now, my mother seems willing to accept a magical person in the family, but my father wouldn't hear of that." He then shrugged. "Well, it's his choice. He can either accept us both or reject us both. There's no other way."

The man nodded understandingly. "Let's hope he chooses right, this time. Now, about that cousin of yours. I hope he got over the treatment you've given him. How is he?"

Dudley shrugged, yet couldn't dismiss the pride he was feeling about Harry. "I haven't seen him since we came here, a few days before you arrived, but Dedalus said he was alright."

The man started connecting the dots. "Your cousin, Harry, isn't he the Potter everybody is talking about?"

Dudley affirmed with a nod. "I never knew I would feel so proud to be related to him. I'm not sure he's proud being related to us, though."

The man nodded his head in agreement. "Well, back to you. If I understood correctly, you need to finish school and then maybe go to college. Will your parents help you?"

Dudley gave it a thought. "I think that they'd already paid for this year, that I missed. It may probably be used to cover the rest of my studies at Smelting. I don't think Dad would pay even a penny for me while I'm with Bette."

"You may not like it, considering it charity, but if your parents won't help you then we will. A proper education is a must, and as my daughter's husband, taking care of you is a part of making her happy. In a way, you are also our son now."

Dudley felt his eyes fill with tears and fought to contain them. "Thank you, Dad," he said, feeling much closer to this man than to Vernon Dursley. "It doesn't matter so much what I study or what I do, as long as I can make Bette happy, and I promise to do all that I can to keep her as happy as can be."

"That's all that I can ask from you, son," the man said, patting his shoulder.

\/\/\/\/\/\/

The house seemed to be a complete chaos, like every year at the same date. Dudley felt so proud, though. His youngest daughter, Lily, was going to join her brother and her sister on the train to Hogwarts. "Hurry up! The Potters will be here in a moment and you don't want to keep them waiting," he yelled at the staircase to the upper floor.

"Coming, Dad," he heard three voices answering almost in unison. A moment later, he could see his eldest floating her big trunk down, using her wand, followed by his son, who was dragging his trunk, although it seemed to be empty, by the way he was holding it. Dudley knew it was full and quite heavy, but the featherweight charm was, well… magic. Last came Lily, her trunk floating behind her, directed by Bette's wand. He only regretted their decision to stop at three. The house would be so empty while they were at school.

The doorbell rang. Lily ran to the door, opening it wide, as two boys and a little girl came in, followed by their parents.

"Aren't you excited, Lily? We're going to ride the express for the first time! Oh, I can't wait to see the castle! They say it's magnificent!"

Lily Potter chuckled. "One could think you've never been there. Don't forget you see it every time you come to visit us during school terms. Oh, and don't forget to call my parents 'Professor Potter' or you may lose points to your house."

Lily Dursley smiled. "But it isn't the same. This time we'll ride the train and the boats and eat at the great hall."

The brunette nodded. "True. I'm going to miss my bed in our apartment, as I'll have another one in the dorms."

The blonde didn't care. "Oh, it will be fantastic."

The parents were also talking. "So, Vernon got three magical grandchildren," Harry said, chuckling.

"Yes. Luckily he hadn't met any. He died of heart attack only a few months after the war," Dudley said.

"I remember getting the message that he had passed out after landing on our way back from honeymoon," Bette added.

"Now, please hurry. The morning traffic is quite heavy today," Hermione urged them.

The children smiled. They all knew how their aunt liked to be early, They were sure they'd need to wait another hour for the train to move, but nobody wanted to say anything to her. Their aunt was quite frightening when angered, and she was also their teacher. They had to stay on their best behavior. For now.

The chaos seemed to intensify as six children and four parents made their way back to the stretch limo that was waiting for them. The adults put the trunks in, made sure that everybody was buckled in and then took their own seats. It was just a normal start of year, after all.

A while later, as Dudley was waving at the departing train, he felt thankful for that year he'd been forced to hide. He'd learned what sex was and then what love meant. He'd enjoyed being with many girls; he'd made new friends, and most of all – he met Bette, who made it all possible. It had been the best year in his life.

* * *

 **A.N.** As the last sentence hints, this is the end of the story. Although it didn't get as popular as other of my stories, I believe it to be on par with them, but Dudley is certainly not as popular as Harry. Still, those of you who read it, I thank you and I hope you enjoyed this story. I'm looking forward to publishing some more stories.

And as always, _**Please Review!**_


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